Colorado Overseas Voting Guide
If Colorado is the state of your last U.S. residence, this is where your ballot comes from — no matter what country you live in now, and however long you have been away. The deadlines below are for the November 3, 2026 federal general election.
Colorado deadlines at a glance
Colorado deadlines at a glance
Election Day
Nov 3, 2026
Register to vote
PassedDeadline
Nov 3, 2026
+8 days to arriveSent by Nov 3, 2026.
Request your ballot
PassedNo deadlineReturn your voted ballot
PassedSee the rules ↓Fastest — email
Nov 3, 2026
at 7 PM local time
By email, received by
Latest — post
Nov 3, 2026
+8 days to arriveSent by
These dates and process details come from the Federal Voting Assistance Program's 2026–27 Voting Assistance Guide, the U.S. Department of Defense's official source for Colorado. Deadlines can change after it is published, so confirm anything you are close to with your local election official.
Registering and requesting your ballot
Request your Colorado ballot
One federal form registers you and requests your absentee ballot. Overseas voters file it again every election year, even if you voted last time.
Colorado asks new registrants for the last four digits of your Social Security number or a state-issued ID or driver's license number.
Receiving your blank ballot
Once Colorado accepts your form, it sends you a blank ballot — federal law requires states to transmit them to overseas voters at least 45 days before Election Day, so yours should be sent by September 19, 2026.
Ballot not arrived by September 19, 2026?
If it has not reached you, tell us — we track delivery issues and raise them with election officials.
Returning your Colorado ballot
Colorado lists an electronic way to return a voted ballot as well as post, but it limits who may use it. Colorado's online option is a secure document transfer system rather than an ordinary upload — ask your election official how to reach it. Post is open to every overseas voter; check the electronic option with your local election official before you rely on it.
Return your ballot according to the instructions that came with it — the envelopes, the signature and any witness or ID requirement are set by your state. If anything is missing or you are not sure what they want, your local election official is the person to ask.
5 ways to return it — choose one
Post
Post your voted ballot in the return envelope from your packet. International postage from your country applies, and delivery takes two to three weeks from most places.
Sent by Nov 3, 2026
It must still arrive within 8 days of Election Day.
Fax
Limited — check firstFax your voted ballot and any forms in your packet to your election office. The number comes with your ballot; online fax services work from anywhere.
By fax, received by Nov 3, 2026 at 7 PM local time
Not every overseas voter may use this. Check with your Colorado election official before you rely on it.
State online portal
Limited — check firstUpload your voted ballot through the state's online portal. The link and your login details come with your ballot.
Online, received by Nov 3, 2026 at 7 PM local time
Not every overseas voter may use this. Check with your Colorado election official before you rely on it.
Scan or photograph your voted ballot and any forms in your packet, and email them to your election office. The address and any cover sheet come with your ballot.
By email, received by Nov 3, 2026 at 7 PM local time
Online, received by Nov 3, 2026 at 7 PM local time
Not every overseas voter may use this. Check with your Colorado election official before you rely on it.
By courier — DHL, FedEx or UPS
Faster, costs moreA courier takes a few days instead of a few weeks and gives you tracking. It costs more than ordinary post, and how much depends on the country you are sending from.
Same deadlines as returning by post:
Sent by Nov 3, 2026
It must still arrive within 8 days of Election Day.
Colorado's online option is a secure document transfer system rather than an ordinary upload — ask your election official how to reach it.
Additional resources
The official places to check your ballot, reach the office that handles it, and read the rules in full.
Colorado overseas voting questions
What is the Colorado ballot deadline for overseas voters?
As early as November 3, 2026 at 7 PM. Varies by how you send it.
What if my Colorado ballot has not arrived?
If your ballot has not arrived and your deadline is close, the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot is the federal backup ballot. You can fill it in for federal offices and send it now; if your real ballot turns up later, complete and return that too — only one of them is counted. In Colorado, the backup ballot can also register you to vote, though registration deadlines may fall earlier than ballot deadlines.
Can I email or fax my ballot back in Colorado?
Not everyone can. Colorado accepts a voted ballot by email, state online portal, fax or post, but it limits who may use the electronic options. Colorado's online option is a secure document transfer system rather than an ordinary upload — ask your election official how to reach it. Post is open to every overseas voter — ask your local election official before relying on an electronic return.
When is the Colorado registration deadline for overseas voters?
Sent by November 3, 2026.
How do I check that my Colorado ballot was counted?
Colorado offers an online ballot-status lookup where you can check that your ballot was sent and that your voted ballot came back. The link is under Additional resources on this page.
Who is my local election official in Colorado?
Your local election official is the county or municipal office that handles registration and ballots for your last U.S. address in Colorado. You can look up their contact details on our election-office finder.
More questions?
Our team answers questions from overseas voters every day. Ask us anything this page did not cover.
Ready to request your Colorado ballot?
One form registers you and requests your ballot.